In Chiatura, the health of miner Tariel Mikatsadze, who has been on a hunger strike for 15 days demanding the release of his detained fellow fighters, deteriorated. For the second day, he has not consumed water and refuses medical assistance.
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Today, July 3, the ambulance crew was called to the scene twice. According to the doctor, Mikatsadze's health condition is "very dangerous." She also stated that he has a fever, and his blood sugar level is 21.
"Today is the 126th day of continuous protest and the 15th day of the hunger strike. The main reason and goal of this hunger strike is the release of our four unjustly detained fellow fighters. We are awaiting the court hearing on July 17. We hope that the guys will be released and return to their homes. Then this hunger strike will end. Along with the release of the prisoners, we demand appropriate working conditions and the return of all employees who previously worked here," said Dato Chinchaladze, one of the protest participants.
Four participants of the miners' protest – Merab Saralidze, Giorgi Neparidze, Archil Chumburidze, and Tengiz Gvelesiani – were arrested on April 29, charged with intentionally causing less severe physical harm to Tengo Koberidze, the director of Shukruti mine.
Later, the prosecution aggravated the charges against the detainees – Saralidze and Neparidze are accused of organizing and participating in group violence, which is punishable by 6 to 9 years of imprisonment, while Chumburidze and Gvelesiani are accused of participating in group violence. They face 4 to 6 years of imprisonment. On June 12, Judge Nikoloz Margvelashvili of Kutaisi City Court ordered all four to remain in pre-trial detention.
Chiatura miners have been protesting continuously since February, when Georgian Manganese laid off 3500 employees. A protest rally, demanding the nationalization of the mining industry and the payment of unpaid wages, was also held in Tbilisi, near the Government Administration. The miners' protest escalated after Chiatura Management Company, which operates under Georgian Manganese's license, announced reorganization "to resume production in Chiatura" at the end of April.
Seven people are on a hunger strike demanding the release of the detained miners. Three of them – Mirza Loladze, Goga Abesadze, and Shavleg Gogsadze – have their mouths sewn shut.
